When using a mobile electronic device to running various applications, one application is generally in full screen mode and maximized and displayed on the full screen, while the remaining open applications may run in the background. This scenario is considered multi-tasking, and shortcuts may allow the user to quickly jump between various running applications or “apps.” However, a user of the electronic device with a touch screen can only interact with and view one application at any given time in full screen mode. There is not a user interface or method that allows two applications to be displayed simultaneously on a mobile electronic device touch screen.
Electronic devices, including mobile electronic devices, with full touch screens have a constant touch screen size and resolution that equates to a specific aspect ratio of the viewable area of the touch screen. This aspect ratio is used in application software coding to allow an application to be optimized for the full screen experience. In order to display two applications simultaneously in a split screen mode, the two applications would have to share the touch screen's viewable area, resulting in a different aspect ratio. Since applications are coded based on aspect ratio, developers would have to reprogram their applications to allow multiple viewable area states to account for when an application is in full screen mode and for when the application is in split screen mode. A way to display multiple applications simultaneously on a touch screen of a mobile electronic device would be advantageous.